Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also coaley, coaly) a coal heaver.

1838		‘Paul Pry’ Oddities of London Life I 98: ‘Vy, my lords and gemmen,’ said Coaly, ‘my reason is this here’.
1867		R. Whiteing Mr Sprouts, His Opinions 28: It was Betsey ’avin a bit of a fite jest for fun like with a coaly’s wife.
1873		N.S. Dodge ‘Vagrants & Vagrancy’ in Appleton’s Journal (N.Y.) 6 Sept. 308: [ballad title] Bet, the Coaley’s Daughter.
1883		J. Greenwood Odd People in Odd Places 93: With such arguments the bargain is driven to a conclulsion, and the grateful ‘coaley’ takes his departure with two pounds ten in his pocket.
1901		Bateman & LeBrunn [perf. Tom Costello] ‘The Club Raid Upside Down’ 🎵 Five and twenty ‘coalies’ took a room one day / Overneath a quiet little pub.
1931		S.F. Hatton London’s Bad Boys 170: A massive great ‘Coalie’ came up to the school with the lad.

2. a wharf labourer who loads ships with coal.

1899		A. Binstead Houndsditch Day by Day 128: Ach, guv’nor, I see as ’ow de coalies up at Cardiff is gettin’ up a big race for novices.
1955		J. Morrison Black Cargo 214: The Wharfies’ Compound opened in the morning [...] a foreman mounted one of the picking-up stands at the coalies’ end.
1982		in Lowenstein & Hills Under Hook 40: Lou was a coalie – the last top-man operating in the Port of Melbourne. His craft had vanished without a trace.